Clip



July 9, 1963 R. w. SHOBERG 3,096,551

CLIP

Filed Jan. 12, 1961 INVENTOR. RAYMOND W. SHOBERG ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,096,551 CLIP Raymond W. Shoberg, 1221 N. 30th St., Milwaukee, Wis. Filed Jan. 12, 1961, Ser. No. 82,276 3 Claims. (Cl. 24132) The invention herein disclosed relates to improvements in a clip for use with appliance cords.

4 It is an object of this invention to provide a clip coming two substantially identical members which will lower the cost of manufacture and which may be easily assembled by the manufacturer or by the user.

It is an object of this invention to provide a clip which can be permanently mounted on the free end of an electric appliance cord and which, after coiling the cord, may be freely manipulated to grip an adjacent turn of the coil and thus prevent accidently unwinding the coil while not m use.

Another object is to provide a clip of the class described which is cheap to manufacture, easy to assemble and readily manipulated.

Other advantages will become evident from the following description of the drawings, in which,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the clip as applied to a fragmentary portion of an electric cord.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the clip mounted on a fragmentary portion of an appliance cord.

FIG. 3 is a side view as seen relative to the lower side of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an end view as seen from the left relative to FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the clip members separated.

FIG. :6 is a sectional View taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one of the clip members as seen from above at an approximate angle of 45 relative to the lower member shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a side view of a modification in reduced size.

FIG. 9 is top plan view of the lower clip member illustrated in FIG. 8.

In the drawings the clip as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7 is shown in approximately double its normal size to facilitate the description of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 7, the clip members A and B are of substantially identical design so that a description of one is equally applicable to the other. Each of the clip members is provided with a pair of relatively spaced arcuate cord receiving depressions 1 and 2, a pair of relatively spaced arcuate bearing members 3 and 4, the outer face of the bearing member or element 3 being in alignment with the corresponding side of the clip member and the bearing member or element 4 being positioned on the opposite side of a plane intermediate the sides of the clip member with one face thereof substantially coincident with the intermediate plane. Arcuate seats 3 and 4 in each clip member serve as bearing surfaces for the bearing members 3 and 4, respectively. As indicated in the drawings (FIG. 7) the arcuate seat or bearing surface 3' is disposed between the bearing members 3 and 4 and the arcuate seat or bearing surface 4 is disposed on a side of the bearing element or member 4 opposite that of the other upon which said bearing surface 3' is disposed. The arcs of the bearing elements or members and surfaces are generated about an axis transversely relative to the clip members on substantially the same radius. Each of the clip members is provided with an aperture 5 extending from the arcuate depression 2 and terminating in flaring groove 6 which in turn terminates in annular or arcuate channel 7 extending transversely over and across the outer surface 8 of the clip Patented July 9, 1963 ice member. The manipulating end 9 tapers outwardly toward the edge 10 to permit free movement of the ends 9 toward each other and each end 9 of the clip members has a depressed area 11. The opposite end 12 of each clip member is bifurcated to provide two relatively spaced projections 13 and 14, the projection 13 being in alignment with the bearing member 3 and the projection 14 being in alignment with the bearing member 4.

As indicated in FIGS. 3 and 5, a rubber band 15 embraces a portion 16 of an electric cord, and extends through the aperture 5 in the upper clip member, along the groove 6 and embraces both clip members in the corresponding channels 7. It will, of course, be understood that the rubber band 15 is under suificient tension to maintain the clip members A and B in aligned relationship and in engagement with portions .16 and 17 of an appliance cord as indicated in FIG. 1.

Normally the clip will be mounted on the free end 16 of an electric cord, and to engage it with or disengage it from another portion 17 of the cord, the ends 9 of the clip members will be manually manipulated to pivot the clip members on the bearing members 3 and 4 against the tension of the rubber band 15 and cause the jaw ends 12 to open for receiving the portion 17 of the cord or for releasing the portion 17. The intermeshing of the projections 13 and 14 on the jaw ends 12 of the clip members serves to keep the clip members in alignment and also as extensions thereof when the portion 17 of the cord is gripped by the jaws.

It will also be noted that each clip member is provided with relatively spaced upstanding lugs 18 and 19, the lug 18 lying in a plane coincident with the bearing member 3 and the projection 13 and the lug 19 lying in a plane coincident with the bearing member 4 and the projection 14. As clearly shown in the drawings, the lugs 18 and 19 are positioned between the arcuate depressions i1 and 2 and, like the projections 13 and 14, serve to keep the clip members A and B in alignment and as extensions of the arcuate depressions when the portion 17 of the cord is gripped by the jaws '1-2.

As clearly indicated in FIGS. 1 through 7, the elements, surfaces, lugs and projections are grouped so that element 3, surface 3', lug 18 and projection 13 are disposed on one side of longitudinal plane intermediate the clip members and so that the element 4, surface 4', lug 1-9 and projection 14 are disposed on the opposite side of said plane.

The modification illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 embodies all of the advantages of a clip which is cheap to manufacture, easy to assemble and readily manipulated. As in the BIG. 1 through FIG. 7, clip, the clip (FIGS; 8 and 9) comprises two substantially identical clip members C and D biased to gripping relation by a rubber band 21 embracing the free ends of the members. FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the member D and will serve equally well as a disclosure of the bottom plan view of member C. Each member has a pair of relatively spaced arcuate bearing elements 22 and 23, an arcuate bearing surface 24 disposed between the elements 22 and 23 and an arcuate bearing surface 25 adjacent the element 23 on a side thereof opposite the surface 24. Also, each element is provided with upstanding relatively spaced lugs 26 and 27 positioned between the bearing elements 22 and 23 and with the depressed arcuate area 28 adjacent the gripping end 29.

The bearing element 22 and lug 2-6 are disposed adjacent one side of the member and the element 23 and lug 27 are disposed on a side of the longitudinal median plane extending lengthwise of the clip member and opposite that of the element 22 and lug 26. When the mem bers C and D are in operative relation, the elements 22 and 23 of one member are disposed in engagement with 23 the bearing surfaces 25 and 24 respective of the other member and the lugs 26 and 27 of said one member are likewise related to the lugs of said other member. An annular channel about the members C and D receives the rub er band 3%.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a clip has been disclosed in which substantially identical clip members are provided, thus making it possible to die cast each in the same mold and reducing the cost of the necessary manufacturing equipment. It will also be apparent that a minimum of elements is necessary and very little skill is required in assembling the clip, it being so constructed as to make it easy for the user to mount it on an electric cord. The only element of the clip that may ever be necessary to replace, is the rubber band, which is readily obtainable and quickly placed in use.

I claim as my invention:

1. A clip comprising two substantialy identical clip members, each having relatively spaced arcuate bearing elements and relatively spaced arcuate bearing surfaces, one of said bearing surfaces being disposed between said elements and the other bearing surface disposed adjacent one of said elements on a side thereof opposite said one bearing surface, each of said members including a gripping end having a pair of relatively spaced arcuate cord receiving depressions disposed between said bearing elements and one end of said clip member, the opposite end of said clip member being tapered outwardly from said bearing elements and away from the corresponding end of the other of said clip members, and each of said members having an aperture extending radially from said depression nearer said bearing elements and also having a groove extending from said aperture and terminating in a channel extending from one side of said member intermediate the corresponding ends of said depressions to the opposite side of said member to a point intermediate the opposite corresponding ends of said depressions, all in combination with a cord embraced by and disposed in said depressions nearer said bearing elements of each member and a rubber band embracing said cord and extending through the aperture in one of said members and embracing both members in the corresponding portions of the grooves in said sides of said members.

2. In a clip, two substantially identical clip members, each comprising an elongated member having a pair of relatively spaced arcuate bearing elements intermediate its ends, a pair of relatively spaced arcuate cord receiving depressions disposed between said bearing elements and one of said ends and extending transversely across said member, a pair of relatively spaced upstanding lugs between said arcuate depressions, and a pair of relatively spaced projections at the other of said ends, said bearing elements, lugs and projections being arranged so that one of each is disposed adjacent one side of said member and so that the other of each of said elements, lugs and projections is disposed on the side of a plane extendends, a pair of relatively spaced arcuate cord receiving depressions disposed between said bearing elements and one of said ends and extending transversely across member, a pair of relatively spaced upstanding lugs be tween said arcuate depressions and a pair of relatively spaced projections at the other of said ends, said bearing elements, lugs and projections being arranged so that one of each is disposed adjacent one side of said member and so that the others of said elements, lugs and projections are each disposed on the side of a plane extending lengthwise of and intermediate the sides of said elongated member opposite the side of said plane on which are disposed the first mentioned element, lug and projection, each of said members having an arcuate bearing surface between said pair of elements and an arcuate bearing surface on the side of one of said elements opposite that of the other and adjacent the other side of said member, and each of said members having an aperture extending radially relative to the depression nearer said bearing elements and terminating in a groove flared radially relative to said aperture and terminating in a channel extending from one side of said member to the other, in combination with a cord disposed in said depression nearer said bearing elements of each clip member and resilient means biasing said members into operative relationship, said means comprising a resilient band embracing said cord when disposed in said depression nearer said bearing elements and extending through the aperture in one of said members, along the groove in said one member, and about said clip members in said channels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS (Corresponds to Danish Patent 79,989)

79,989 Denmark Oct. 3, 1955 

2. IN A CLIP, TWO SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL CLIP MEMBERS, EACH COMPRISING AN ELONGATED MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF RELATIVELY SPACED ARCUATE BEARING ELEMENTS INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS, A PAIR OF RELATIVELY SPACED ARCUATED CORD RECEIVING DEPRESSION DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID BEARING ELEMENTS AND ONE OF SAID ENDS AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ACROSS SAID MEMBER, A PAIR OF RELATIVELY SPACED UPSTANDING LUGS BETWEEN SAID ARCUATE DEPRESSIONS, AND A PAIR OF RELATIVELY SPACED PROJECTIONS AT THE OTHER OF SAID ENDS, SAID BEARING ELEMENTS, LUGS AND PROJECTIONS BEING ARRANGED SO THAT ONE OF EACH IS DISPOSED ADJACENT ONE SIDE OF SAID MEMBER SO THAT THE OTHER OF EACH OF SAID ELEMENTS, LUGS AND PROJECTIONS IS DISPOSED ON THE SIDE OF A PLANE EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF AND INTERMEDIATE THE SIDES OF SAID ELONGATED MEMBER OPPOSITE THAT OF THE FIRST MENTIONED ELEMENT, LUG AND PROJECTION, EACH SAID MEMBERS HAVING AN ARCUATE BEARING SURFACE BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF ELEMENTS AND AN ARCUATE BEARING SURFACE ON THE SIDE OF ONE OF SAID ELEMENTS OPPOSITE THAT OF THE OUTER AND ADJACENT THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID MEMBER IN COMBINATION WITH RESILIENT MEANS BIASING SAID MEMBERS INTO OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP. 